I have not blogged for a while as currently i have been part of the the Christmas Show performance of Cinderella at the Chickenshed Theatre Company. This has consumed alot of my time however through looking back at notes and theories which i have encountered through module one i can now gain an fuller understanding of the models and theories which i have come across.
The Honey & Mumford model of "experience" is one that stuck out for me- originally in quite a negative way, as i thought (possible quite ignorantly of me) that far too much time was being put into an "experience". And that it simple was what it is called- and experience end of! However every thought and every action is based upon a life experience whether it be positive or negative from appearance, life, love, socially, professionally etc, and maybe mistakes are continually made in ones life by them overlooking the importance of an experience and reflecting upon this. As the Christmas shows have dominated so much of my life for the last 6 weeks i thought i would follow Honey and Mumfords model but relate it to my own experiences and see if through this i can start to develop my own reflective practise.
1. Having and Experience
During this Christmas show I was/am a signer to signs for Cinderella, Buttons and a few other smaller characters. This on first glance was not a different experience to what i had done the previous year- however this year i was given much more responsibility in that when my signing teacher was not there i had to ensure all the signers was there, in the correct light, cover any absences and ensure the signing was always being performed the way it was taught. This i had to do for all 4 rotas which equals out to about 60 shows excluding dress rehearsals and the preview nights.
2.Reviewing the experience
This experience has become significantly relevant to me, as i believe the extra responsibility which i had been given for the show, has forced me to have more confidence in what i do, and that i can do it- which is always something that holds me back, and also has developed me professionally in having to manage a group of signers, most of whom had no previous experience of signing on stage- which can be very daunting and isolating at times. The pressure at times was massive- and if I'm being honest particularly low moments during this process has been more of nuisance and i have felt restricted by the responsibility. Although through reviewing the situation i can now see that the feeling of irritant which i experienced is my own personal protection method which i do when things start getting difficult and there is a chance that i could fail at a task. By making it an irritant- i can pretend i don't care if it went wrong.
3.Concluding from the experience
Concluding this experiences has shown me many factors about myself in a profession setting which i had not been aware of before now. As my life in professional practise has been insignificant before now i had not noticed traits which i have which can in fact hold me back in my future. I have always worked since the age of 16 - and in 4 years have had several jobs ranging from teaching assistant to barista at Starbucks Coffee company. My times in these jobs have been limited and through reflection i can see that is because i opt out of a task when it gets difficult- or the first time i make a mistake. And therefore leave. My work at Chickenshed however is very different- as i hope that i will work at Chickenshed for many years to come i cannot leave or turn my back on it and the work. So therefore i have to put myself on the line and complete everything which is given to me. As quite a critical person its shocking that i have only learnt this about myself at the age of 20- which explains so many mistakes of my past.
4.Planning next steps
This experience has further enhanced my love of teaching, managing and creating. I always new i had this passion but never before have had the chance to put my passion into practise to see if it was just a fantasy or my reality. Therefore i will put myself forward to more teaching roles in order to gain understanding of what it is to be a teacher, and also develop my own style based on great role models i have in my life at the moment. I also have learnt to not take sign language for granted, as to me it is just a pass time to learn another skill and i think it look beautiful- but to someone who relies on signing to communicate it is essential and needs to be more accessible that it is at the moment. Through speaking to a lot of the members from the deaf community in recent years it disgusts me how limited signing is in contemporary society- and how much money it costs in able to make it accessible. I do not know how i would help this but i am going to continue through to my BSL level 2- and try to become a part time interpreter, and see where that takes me.
I found simply plotted my experience to Honey and Mumford model so satisfying to my own development as i don't think people put the time into reflecting on a experience in order to draw conclusions which can further develop their practise.
"It is important to find your own reflective practises through doing that finding you own professional direction or "artistic vision"
This note which i made from the reader has stuck in my head through out this whole experience as i what to discover my own "artistic vision" but do not know whether it is something you develop. or you always have it, or you either have or do not have it, etc.
I do not know how to do about finding my own reflective practise- i can relate a great deal to other people but not my own
And do not know where to start
